Airport budget shows decrease

Friday, July 16, 2010

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The Airport Department is proposing a budget of $138,398 for fiscal year 2010-11, an $872 decrease from the $139,270 budgeted in 2009-10.

Public Works Director Kyle Potthoff presented the proposed budget to City Council at Monday's second of three budget workshops at Memorial Auditorium.

Salaries are proposed for a $3,223 increase and a $1,041 merit increase is budgeted. Supplies will increase as well by $4,600, primarily due to a doubling of the grounds maintenance that Public Works Director Kyle Potthoff attributed to new Federal Aviation Administration painting requirements.

The airport is proposing to save $6,960 from the insurance line item and $4,500 from eliminating a tractor lease. The airport had previously leased a tractor for mowing and other purposes but has since filled that need with other equipment. These two items are the driving force proposed to save $12,460, versus prior years budget, in the other services and Charges section

The department's budget also proposes $4,000 in machinery and equipment for the purchase of a decelerometer, a device used to determine the braking action of planes in bad weather. This is down $6,000 from the 2009-10 budget which budgeted for the purchase of a paint machine.

The budget also proposed $13,000 be set aside as part of the city's portion of a wildlife fence at the airport. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is performing a several months wildlife assessment, as an FAA requirement, which will conclude in November. City staff anticipates the fence to be the end result of that assessment.

McCook City Council will meet Monday, 7:30 p.m., for its third and final budget workshop following the regular semi-monthly meeting at Memorial Auditorium.

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